Desk set



NOV. 1, 1932. A, GIBSON 1,886,091

` DESK SET Filed April 16. 1951 Patented Nov. 1, 1932 PATENT ori-ICE ALFRED GIBSON, F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS DESK SET Application filed April 16,

The subject of this invention is a desk set more particularly of the type which serves both as a holder for a fountain pen and as a receptacle for a supply of liquid ink for the pen.

The set of the present inventionpis a sturdy, compact unit which is provided with means for quickly and positively filling an exhausted pen with the ink from the ink supply. To

this end, the set includes manually-operated evacuating means with which the writing end of the pen may be made to communicate so as to exhaust the air in the inlr space of the pen, and which may be closed ott' at the l proper time and followed immediately by the establishment of communication between the writing end and the ink supply so as to cause a flow of ink into the evacuated ink space.

With these and other features and objects in view, my invention will now be Idescribed in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing of an embodiment thereof, wherein Figure 1 isa vertical section through the set.

Figure 2 represents a plan view partly in section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional detail of the penreceiving means, with the pen in position to be evacuated.

Figure l is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the pen in position to be removed after filling.

Figure 5 represents a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a section through the pen-receiving means, in position to permit a flow of inl from the ink supply into an evacuated pen.

Figure 7 constitutes a section on the line 7-7 of Figure 3.

The set, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2, comprises .a base or pedestal 1, of bakelite, onyx, or other appropriate material, which may take an elliptical or other desired shape. rlhe pedestal is hollow, in order to constitute a receptacle 2 for a supply of ink therein. The receptacle portion may be made up of a cupshaped member 3 in threaded engagement with the bottom of the pedestal, andV which 1931. Serial No. 530,474.

itself serves as part of the bottom. The pen is normally lept in upright position, as is customary, in an elongated socket at the front end of the set, and having at its lower end a ball joint 5. The bearing and engaging means for the ball joint 5 may be a plug 6 fixed, as shown, by threaded engagement with the top of the pedestal and extending downwardly to the reservoir 2 immediately beyond the front wall of the cup-shaped member 3. The upper end ofthe plug may be flanged, as at 7, to limit the downward movement of the plug by bearing against the top of the pedestal. The ball 5 preferably has a bore 8 flared at its Vlower end and opening into a central bore 9 extending through the plug 5 to the reservoir 2. Liquid ink may thus be delivered by way of the socket 4 into the reservoir 2, which may otherwise be confined; but inasmuch as this passage is of rather small cross-sectional area, the plug .6 is preferably removed to permit the delivery of ink into the reservoir 2 by pouring into the plug'opening( Since evaporation of the ink; can take place only through the openings 9 and 8, past the pen point, the point is kept from drying and is thus invariably in writing condition. f

The pen-evacuating means includes a cylindrical housing 10 projecting upwardly from L the pedestal 1, immediately in back of the socket l. Hthin the housing is a partition 11 fixed somewhat above the level of the ink reservoir 2 and serving as the bottom of a fixed piston chamber 12. The marginal portion 13 i of the partition 11 is upwardly flanged, and overlapping this portion'is the lower marginal portion of the piston chamber 12, so as to leave a clearance space between the piston chamber and the housing 10. This clearance space is occupied by the side wall of a rotatable cylindrica-l cap 14, which supports a piston or plunger 15 within the chamber l2 and which serves further as the manual means for reciprocating the piston. The piston is carried at the lower end of a shaft 16 passing loosely through the upper end of the piston chamber 12 so as to permit air to pass out through an aperture in the cap. The upper end of theshaft is fitted' into an upwardly recessed portion 17 of the cap, and has a supporting flange 18, adjacent to this portion, over which is ti htly engaged an annular element 19 fixed asy screws to the cap. The reciprocating movement of the piston is caused through lugs 20 on the lower side wall of the ca engaging in cam slots 210 formed in the si e wall of the piston chamber 12, a turning movement of the cap by hand producing an upward or downward movement of the cap and a corresponding movement of the piston carried thereby. An upward movement of the piston causes a vacuum to be created in the chamber space below the piston. Communicating with this chamber space is a channel 21' leading through an enlarged rear wall portion of the pedestal 1 to a wall cavity 22 within which the pen-receiving means is located. Therrien-receiving means includes a block 23 having partway therethrough a central opening for the inner end portion of a hollow, rotatable plug 24 for receiving the writing end of the pen. The inner end of the plug may be clod, and projecting therefrom may be a pinr 25 in threaded engagement with the inner end-portion of the block, and thus serving to fix the plug to the block. Near the outer end of the plug is shown a collar 26, from which pivot pins 27 extend into lugs 28 on opposite side Walls of the cavity 22. The collar is, as shown, fixed to the plug against longitudinal movement, but it permits rotation of the plug. It is thus seen that the plug 24 and the associated block 23 may be tilted from a substantially horizontal position, as shown in Figure 3, to an inclined sition, as shown in Figure 4. The substantial horizontal position is that assumed when a en is to be exhausted and filled with ink; whereas the inclined position is that assumed after the filling operation. By substantially horizontal position, I mean that the plug and pen received therein may be horizontal or somewhat upwardly inclined as shown in Figure 3, so that air contained in the air space of the pen will be removed but residual ink will tend to remain by gravitation in the pen. The block has an upper projection 29, shown as tapered, capable of being fitted tightly into a complemental recess 30 constitutin the terminus of the channel 21. A channe 32 is formed downwardly through the projection 19 of the block to the plug 24. So, too, a channel 33 extends downwardly from the plug and terminates as a nipple 34 over which is engaged a flexible hose 35 leading to the ink reservoir 2, as best shown in Fi re 5. The plug has an aperture throng its side wall, which can be made to communicate selectively with the channels 32 and 21 leading to the vacuum chamber, or with the channel 33 and the flexible hose 35 leading to the ink reservoir.

As shown in Figure 3, when the writing end 360 of an exhausted pen is inserted in the plug 24, which may be lined with rubber or other resilient material which makes an air-tight joint, the block is fixed against rotational movement by enga ement in the wall recess 30. The pen thus icing made fast with the plug is then turned with the plug aperture 36 registering with the channel 32, and is kept theremomentarily to ensure exhaust of the air from the ink space of the pen. The pen is then turned until the plug aperture 36 registers with the channel 33 and is kept there momentarily to ensure the filling of the pen with ink. The precise positions of the plug aperture 36 making for complete registry with ,the channels 32 or 33 maybe determined by a pin 37 on the plug striking against stops 38 and 39, respectively, on the collar'26. The filling of the pen having been completed and the aperture 36 still registering with the channel 33, the pen is tilted to the inclined position shown in Figure 4 and withdrawn from the plug, whereupon excess ink in the plug drains back to the ink reservoir 2. The block and plug may then be brought back into horizontal or closed position, so that a vacuum may be recreated in the piston chamber 12 at the next filling of the pen.

An embodiment of this invention having been described, it should be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications might be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described, comprising in combination a fountain pen pedestal having a liquid ink reservoir, a vacuum chamber within said pedestal adjacent to said ink reservoir but separated therefrom by a partition, an apertured, hollow plug for hermetically engaging the writing end of the pen, said device having channels leading from said plug to said chamber and to said ink reservoir and said plug being rotatable to register selectively with either of said channels.

2. A device of the class described, comprising in combination a fountain pen pedestal having a liuid ink reservoir, a chamber within said pe estal above said ink reservor but separated therefrom by a partition, manually-operated means for creating a. vacuum in said chamber, an apertured, hollow plug for hermetically engaging the writing end of the pen, said device having channels leading from said plug to said chamber and to said ink reservo1r and said plug being rotatable to register selectively with either one of said channels. Y

3. A device of the class described, comprising in combination a fountain pen pedestal having a liquid ink reservoir, a chamber within said pedestal above said ink reservoir but separated therefrom by a partition, manually-operated means for creating a vacuum in said chamber, an apertured, hollow plug for y hermetically engaging the Writing end of the pen, a block arranged in a cavity in said pedestal and within which said hollow plug is rotatable, means on said pedestal for supporting said plug and block, said device hav ing Channels leading from said plug through said block and through said pedestal to said chamber and said ink reservoir and said plug being rotatable to register selectively with either one of said Channels.

l. A device of the Class described, comprising in combination a fountain pen pedestal having a liquid inl reservoir, a chamber within said pedestal above said ink reservoir but separated therefrom by a partition, manually-operated means for Creating a vacuum in said chamber, an apertured, hollow plug for hermetically engaging the writing end of the pen, a block arranged in a cavity in said pedestal and within which said hollow plug is rotatable, means on said pedestal for til*- edly supporting said plug and block, said device having channels leading from said plug through said block and said pedestal to said Chamber and said ink reservoir, said plug and block being tiltable into and out of oommunicative position with said vacuum eham ber, and said plug being rotatable in such position to register selectively with either one of said channels.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

ALFRED GIBSON. 

